The Toronto Raptors visit Madison Square Garden on Friday night for a showdown with the New York Knicks.
The Raptors are on top of the Atlantic Division with a 30-14 SU record and they are currently one-half game ahead of the Boston Celtics in the divisional standings. Toronto has won five straight and seven out of their last 10 games overall. Meanwhile, the Knicks are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with their 12-33 SU record. The Knicks have dropped four out of their last five games played and are currently 11 games behind the Raptors in the team standings.
Five Straight Wins
The Toronto Raptors hit the Big Apple carrying five straight wins. The Raptors have been on a tear as of late as they have scored more than 122 points in four out of their last five games while winning all game by an average winning margin of 14 points per game. In their last game, the Raptors outlasted an undermanned Sixers team 107-95.
Fred VanVleet led Toronto with 22 points while Pascal Siakam added 18. Norman Powell also added 18 points but his streak of 20-point games ended at four. Marc Gasol also contributed 17 points on 7-7 shooting while Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka each scored 16 points for Toronto.
The Raptors rank 14th in the league in scoring at 111.9 points per game and they are 5th overall in scoring defense at only 105.9 points per game allowed. Toronto ranks 10th in rebounding at 46.0 boards grabbed per contest and they are 9th in passing at 25.5 assists per game.
Four Losses in Five Games
It has been another losing season in New York. The Knicks are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division team standings and they have won just twice in their last 10 games played. The Knicks head to this home game with four losses in their last five outings and they are coming off a home loss to the Lakers last Wednesday night.
Marcus Morris scored 20 points against Los Angeles while Damyean Dotson put up 17 points for his team. Julius Randle had a good all-around game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and Taj Gibson added 12 points plus five boards. Frank Ntilikina went scoreless in 12 minutes of action for the Knicks.
The Knicks are the third lowest-scoring team in the league at 104.0 points per game. They are 19th in scoring defense at 112.0 opponents points per game allowed and are next to last when it comes to passing at only 21.1 assists per game. The Knicks rank 6th off the glass with an average of 46.6 rebounds per game.
Who Wins?
Toronto is 5-0 SU in their last five games played. The Raptors are 5-1 SU in their last six games played on the road. New York is 2-9 SU in their last 11 games played. The Knicks are 3-12 SU in their last five games played at home. Head to head, the Toronto is 9-1 SU in their last 10 games played against New York. The Raptors are also 7-1 SU in their last eight road games versus the Knicks.
The Raptors have won five straight games and have done so by an average winning margin of double digits. Fred VanVleet has been averaging 21.5 points per game in his last five games played and he has shot 52.6% from behind the three-point arc in January. Likewise, Norman Powell has put up 22.7 points per game in his last six outings.
New York put up a better effort against the Lakers on Wednesday night. The Knicks lost by 30 to LeBron and company during their first meeting of the year. Despite that, the Knicks have dropped four of five and have won just twice in their last 10 games played. Marcus Morris continues to have an impressive season but outside him, the Knicks haven’t seen any consistency at all.
The Raptors have been playing very well as of late. They are healthy and with VanVleet and Powell putting up big numbers in recent weeks, they should be able to overcome playing on the road against a lowly team like the Knicks. I think that the Raptors will stay hot in this contest.
Prediction: Toronto Raptors
Other Bets to Make
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in their last five games played. The Raptors are 3-3 ATS in their last six road games, and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against the Atlantic division. New York is 4-2 ATS in their last six games played. The Knicks are 3-2 ATS in their last five games played at home, 5-1 ATS in their last six games against the Eastern Conference, and 6-2 ATS in their last eight games versus the Atlantic Division. Head to head, the Raptors are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games played against the Knicks.
Raptors
-7.5 (-105)
Knicks
+7.5 (-115)
Odds from BetOnline as of 01/24/20
Toronto has beaten New York by double digits in eight out of their last 10 meetings. The Raptors defeated the Knicks by a score of 126-98 in their first encounter of the season last November 27, 2019. During their current five game-winning run, Toronto has won by an average winning margin of 14 points per game. Five of New York’s last seven losses have been by blowout and I think this one will be in that category. Toronto is playing like champions right now, this should be a double-digit win.
Prediction: Raptors -7.5
The total has gone over in four out of the last five games played by the Raptors. The over is 5-0 in Toronto’s last five games played on the road and 4-1 in their last five games against the Eastern Conference. The total has gone under in four out of the last five games played by the Knicks. The under is 3-2 in the Knicks’ last five home games, and also 4-1 in their last five January games. Head to head, the total has gone over in four out of the last six meetings between these two teams.
Over
216.5 (-110)
Under
216.5 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 01/24/20
These teams have combined to score an average of 217.67 points per game in their last three head to head meetings including 224 points in their first meeting of the season last November. The Knicks have scored 106 or more points just three times in their last 10 games played and they have put up only 102 or fewer points in their last four losses. However, the Raptors have been on a tear as of late, averaging 124.2 points per game in their last five outings and scoring at least 122 points per game in four out of their last five games. I like the Raptors to stay hot against a porous Knicks defense.
Prediction: Over 216.5